Adani Power in Mundra taluka of Kutch district has been asked to abide by the labour norms of employing 85 per cent locals in the company’s workforce, the state government said in the Legislative Assembly on Monday. During the Question Hour, Congress MLA Punja Vansh asked the government, as on December 2020, when was the Adani Group of companies in Kutch district probed during the last two years, to check if the government norms surrounding employment of local workforce was being adhered to. In it's written reply, the state government stated that the notification of the state’s labour and employment department dated March 31, 1995, do not carry the provision for an investigation. Every six months (June and December), the department collects the data regarding employment of local workforce from the firms. In response to a supplementary question asked by the MLA as to which companies of the Adani Group do not conform to the rule of employing 85 per cent of locals in their workforce, the government replied, “As on December 31, 2020, Adani Power in Mundra do not conform to the required percentage of locals in their workforce.” When the Congress MLA asked what steps have been taken against the erring company, the government stated, “The notification with regard to employment of local workforce does not apply to private firms that do not take subsidies from the government. However, the below mentioned steps were taken against Adani Power.” The government went on to state that it has written to the company to comply with the norms of employing 85 per cent of locals in its workforce. The deputy director of employment has also held meetings with officials of the company during the last two years. The government also sent details of erring companies to the district employment offices and to the state tax office for necessary actions. The office of director of employment and training in Gandhinagar have sent a list of erring firms during the last two years to the Industries Commissioner in Gandhinagar for necessary action. In a meeting organised between officials of erring firms with additional chief secretary of labour and employment department on July 18, 2019, the firms were advised to maintain the required levels of locals in their workforce. According to the March 1995 notification of the department, all private, state and central government entities operating in the state have to keep at least 85 percent of the positions reserved for locals.
